2011 NFL Preseason: 10 Most Surprising Facts of the Year so Far

As the 2011 NFL preseason rolls along, there has been a lot of action to follow.

From the transactions, roster cuts, and the actual games, the NFL has really gotten into full swing since the lockout and things are changing from day to day. 

There have been a lot of developments and some position battle races are becoming clearer.

Here are some things we know since the beginning of the preseason.

1. Cam Newton Looks to Be the Starter

Cam Newton, the number one pick in the 2011 draft, has been involved in a QB battle with second year player, Jimmy Clausen.

Newton has not exactly impressed.

He is completing less than 50 percent of his passes (45.5 percent) with no TDs.

Also, Newton has only completed two passes to actual WRs.

Clausen is doing better. He is completing almost 60 percent of his passes plus has led a TD drive (and has been picked). 

I just do not understand why people are giving up on Clausen so quickly. Yes, he has not performed well at all, but he has only been in the NFL for one full season.

While Newton is a great talent, he is a work in progress. He has good raw talent and athleticism.

We all know his skill set surpasses Clausen, but I feel he would be better served not getting thrown to the wolves week one and given time to develop.

2. Colts Signing Kerry Collins

This move shows just how worried the Colts are about Peyton Manning who is recovering from two neck surgeries over the passed two years.

The second stringer in Indy, Curtis Painter, has not had a very good preseason.

Just completing 50 percent of his passes with one pick and no TDs.

Kerry Collins comes out of retirement to hold the fort down while Manning recovers.

This would be bad news for the Colts, who open up the season with a very important division game with the Houston Texans.

The Texans are looking to over take the Colts in the AFC South this year and getting a week one victory against the Colts would be a good first step for Houston.

3. Plaxico Burress

Plaxico Burress looks like he has not missed a step since spending time behind bars.

In his preseason debut, he hauled in three catches for 66 yards and a TD.

Burress passed the first test in his comeback campaign. He still has to keep it up, obviously, but this was very encouraging sign.

If Burress can stay healthy, he is going to be one of the best off-season pick ups this year.

Mark Sanchez is looking to take that next step in his progress in the NFL. 

Having Burress to go along with Santonio Holmes, can only help Sanchez become a very respectable starting QB in the NFL.

4. What Happened to Tim Tebow?

Coming into the preseason, it seemed like Tebow was all but set to take over as the starter in Denver.

Kyle Orton looked all but traded. Brady Quinn was an afterthought.

Now?

Tebow threw just two passes in their last preseason game against the Buffalo Bills, as opposed to Kyle Orton's 13.

Oh, and Brady Quinn's 16. Believe or not, Quinn has played pretty well this preseason and looks much more comfortable. 

Not only is Tebow not going to start, it is not looking like he will even be number two on the depth chart behind Orton. 

Things could not get worse than this for Tebow and his faithful following. How could it?

This is how.

Sources are reporting that the many in the Broncos organization believe that Tim Tebow is worse than Adam Weber, an undrafted free agent signing out of Minnesota.

This is definitely not the last chapter in Tebow's career, but it definitely is a disappointing one.

5. Alex Smith

Alex Smith is looking to break out and come into his own after being the number one pick in 2005.

Again.

How San Francisco can continue to go with Smith and think that he can lead this team to anywhere but mediocrity is beyond me.

He continues to show flashes of his talent and what he can do.

That would be great, just he has been showing "flashes" of what he can do for the past six seasons.

In their last preseason game, Smith had some good plays and led some decent drives.

Then he goes and throws a pick to DE Matt Shaughnessy.

The 49ers finally took a QB in the draft, Colin Kaepernick out of Nevada, but he is nothing short of a project who will take a few seasons to develop.

Granted, Smith has seen more change in the coaching staff than any young QB would like to experience.

Is his stagnant career a result of this?

Probably, but the damage is done.The Niners have probably ruined this guy's career.

6. John Beck to Start?

If you are a Redskins fan, you either have faith in head coach Mike Shanahan, or you absolutely despise the front office for not getting a better QB than John Beck or Rex Grossman.

While it still is unclear who is going to start, Beck seems to have the inside track because offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan has had a lot of faith in him since he entered the league.

Why does Kyle love him? I am not too sure.

To his credit he has performed well. He was 14-17 for 140 yards in his lone preseason game against the Indianapolis Colts.

The fact is, this is someone that was third-string QB last year for Baltimore and has very limited experience.

Kyle and Mike Shanahan are praised for their offensive coaching skills.

It would a true testament to how good they are at their jobs if they are able to turn Beck into a respectable starting QB.

7. An Albert Haynesworth Sighting

Since Albert Haynesworth joined the New England Patriots, he has appeared very few times at training camp.

He really has not made much a splash since he passed his conditioning test.

Not many people know why he has been labeled day-to-day. A lot of speculation is going on that it was more than just his knee injury keeping him off the field.

Some think it is because of his legal issues, others think it was because he needed more time to get into shape.

Others think that Belichick did not want to practice someone who could go to jail soon.

No one is 100 percent, but one thing is clear.

Haynesworth is back as he practiced for the first time on Wednesday. 

Patriot fans hope that he is back for good.

8. The Race for Luck

The Cincinnati Bengals currently are the preseason favorites to win (or lose) the race for Andrew Luck.

They currently are throwing QB Andy Dalton to the wolves and praying he stays alive long enough to see season two of his career.

Dalton looked like a lost child in his appearance against the New York Jets defense.

8-19 for 86 yards is just not good. At all.

Not to mention his two INT. 

Dalton is going to have a lot of growing pains to go through and end up being 2012's Jimmy Clausen whenever the Bengals draft Andruw Luck number one next year.

A.J. Green gives the Bengals hope along with Cedric Benson.

But their defense is suspect and the offensive line does not look too promising either, making the 2011 season for Bengal fans, rather dreadful.

9. Ben Tate Is Healthy

The Houston Texan offense was scary for opposing defenses last year with the three headed monster the Texans have at QB (Matt Shaub), RB (Arian Foster), and WR (Andre Johnson).

This year, Foster has a friend to join him in the Texans' backfield.

Ben Tate was set to be the Texans opening day rusher last year after being selected in the second round of the draft.

However, a broken fibula and some torn ligaments in his ankle left him sidelined for the 2010 season.

That paved the way for Foster to become the leading rusher in the NFL.

Now Tate is back and looks to have taken over Derrick Ward for the number two spot in the RB depth chart.

His preseason performance against New Orleans had John McClain, a reporter for the Houston Chronicle, raving about him on Sporting News.

He had 95 yards on just nine carries and looked like he never missed a beat from his Aurburn days.

It is going to be a headache to try and game plan for both of these runners.

10. Philip Rivers Looking Good, Again.

I really do not think there is a QB catching much more heat than Philip Rivers.

This preseason he has San Diego fans thinking, "here we go again!"

He has two TD passes in his two games this year in limited preseason action. He is also 13 for 17.

Despite his non-playoff performances, he can never seem to get his team over the hump with a disappointing one AFC title game appearance.

Rivers has to prove something to all his haters this year. If he is unable to at least get this Charger team to at least an AFC title game this year, Rivers will continue to have his doubters.

And for good reason.

His eight TD to nine INT is absolutely not acceptable in playoff games.

However, before we start talkin' 'bout playoffs, Rivers has to get them to postseason play and last year proves, stats and talent alone do not get you there.