All 32 NFL teams were in action over the weekend, and while joint practices may have lessened the importance of preseason games, there were still a few notable takeaways.<\/p>\n
Many of the biggest concerned quarterbacks \u2014 the boos and swirl of dissatisfaction surrounding the Browns\u2019 Deshaun Watson, the strong play of new Jets starter Geno Smith, the search for a backup in Dallas, Pittsburgh, Indianapolis, New Orleans and elsewhere. Second-string running backs shined for the Packers and Texans. The 49ers got encouraging injury news (and made a trade), while the Chargers suffered a tough break.<\/p>\n
Here is (at least) one thing to know about every team:<\/p>\n
Top Plays from Eagles @ Patriots<\/p>\n
AFC East<\/p>\n
Bills: The Bills rested 28 players, including star quarterback Josh Allen, and still managed a blowout win<\/a> over the Browns. One reserve who excelled: quarterback Kyle Allen, whose rocky training camp had led to speculation about whether third-stringer Shane Buechele could challenge him for the backup role. Kyle Allen started against the Browns and was sharp: He completed 10 of 12 passes for 128 yards, pushed the ball downfield when the opportunity presented itself and led two touchdown drives.<\/p>\n Dolphins:\u00a0After gaining 226 yards and scoring 7 points in their preseason opener, Miami\u2019s offense somehow went backward. With third-stringer Cam Miller starting at quarterback, the Dolphins gained 102 yards and put up 3 points in a blowout loss to the Giants.<\/p>\n Patriots: \u201cI don\u2019t think we have a very deep team,\u201d Coach Mike Vrabel said bluntly<\/a>, explaining why most of the team\u2019s starters sat out a win over the Eagles. One player who helped himself: receiver Efton Chism III, who seemed to solidify his roster spot by showing his craftiness from the slot and his ability as a punt returner. Chism caught all four of his targets for 45 yards while adding a 16-yard punt return and serving as one of the in-game captains for the opening coin toss.<\/p>\n Jets: This offense, with Geno Smith at quarterback and Frank Reich calling plays, could actually be fun<\/a>. The operation worked seamlessly in a win over the Steelers. Smith stood tall in the pocket in the face of pressure; he made plays down the field and in the flat; and he connected with his most talented pass catchers, receivers Garrett Wilson and Adonai Mitchell and tight end Mason Taylor. Smith finished 7-for-7 for 65 yards, a touchdown and a 144.9 QB rating.<\/p>\n AFC North<\/p>\n Ravens:\u00a0Most of Baltimore\u2019s starters didn\u2019t play in a win over the Vikings<\/a>. The defense had a strong week in Minnesota, both in the joint practices and in Saturday\u2019s game. However, if there is one area that first-year coach Jesse Minter will want addressed, it\u2019s the defense in two-minute situations. The Vikings scored points on all four two-minute drives against the Ravens\u2019 ones and twos in the joint practices. In Saturday\u2019s game, the Ravens allowed the Vikings to go 57 yards on eight plays and get a game-tying field goal just before halftime.<\/p>\n Bengals: Two days after\u00a0a dominant close<\/a> to the joint practice against the Bears, the roster depth Cincinnati is banking on this season showed off in a 27-9 win<\/a> against Chicago. Coach Zac Taylor had never won more than one game in a preseason. He will now shoot for the Bengals\u2019 first undefeated preseason since 2006. Dohnte Meyers, this training camp\u2019s feel-good story<\/a>, had five receptions for 41 yards and rushed once for 9 yards, all while returning kicks and punts with solid results.<\/p>\n Top Plays from Bears @ Bengals<\/p>\n Browns: Shedeur Sanders started Cleveland\u2019s loss to the Bills, completing his first eight throws and finishing 9-of-11 for 74 yards, including a fourth-down conversion. Things went considerably worse for Deshaun Watson, who is also competing for the starting QB job. Watson was booed four times<\/a> by the sparse home crowd during his first game action in Cleveland in 22 months. He finished 5-of-12 for 35 yards with an interception in four series. His quarterback rating was 14.6. He called the boos \u201ca disrespectful thing.\u201d Coach Todd Monken is expected<\/a> to name a starter on Monday.<\/p>\n Steelers: Presented with a prime opportunity to shake up the depth chart, quarterbacks Will Howard and Drew Allar settled only one thing<\/a>: Mason Rudolph has to be Aaron Rodgers\u2019 backup. Now in his ninth season, he has the experience and has been clearly ahead of both young quarterbacks throughout camp. Friday\u2019s 17-0 loss to the Jets showed that the youngsters need considerable development if either is going to be the long-term answer.<\/p>\n AFC South<\/p>\n Texans:\u00a0Houston rested most of its starters, but quarterback C.J. Stroud led the Texans to a touchdown in his only series, completing 4 of 6 passes for 27 yards. His drive ended with a 20-yard Woody Marks touchdown run. Marks carried four times for 37 yards, while backfield mate David Montgomery was among the many regulars who did not play.<\/p>\n Colts: For the second straight week, Riley Leonard struggled to lead the Indianapolis offense. The second-year pro had the opportunity to start, flip-flopping from last week, when Anthony Richardson Sr. started and put together a strong performance. But Leonard, a 2025 sixth-round pick, finished Saturday\u2019s loss to the Falcons<\/a> 7-of-14 passing for 62 yards. As the team tries to settle on a backup to Daniel Jones, Leonard\u2019s latest showing proved one thing: The Colts can\u2019t afford to trade Richardson, even if he still wants out.<\/p>\n Jaguars:\u00a0Jacksonville held out its starters in a loss to the Panthers that was shortened by severe weather late in the fourth quarter. The Jaguars had nine penalties in the first half, but backup quarterback Nick Mullens played better than he had in the preseason opener, completing 6 of 7 passes for 65 yards.<\/p>\n Titans: Cam Ward started at quarterback in Tennessee\u2019s win over the Seahawks and directed three drives, completing 8 of 12 attempts for 69 yards with a fumble out of bounds. But after a field goal on Ward\u2019s first drive, his next two attempts ended in a turnover on downs and a punt, although a potential first-down throw was spoiled when second-year tight end Gunnar Helm couldn\u2019t get his feet down inbounds.<\/p>\n AFC West<\/p>\n Broncos:\u00a0Bo Nix led a touchdown drive<\/a> for the first time since suffering a devastating ankle injury in the playoffs. The third-year passer logged 15 plays, completing 6 of 9 passes for 76 yards and a touchdown and leading Denver to 10 points in its blowout loss to the Packers. \u201cI felt like exactly where I left off,\u201d Nix said. \u201cHonestly, I felt better over time. I think the extra clean-up surgery was good for me because it put me back to square one. It\u2019s as good as I\u2019ve felt in a long time.\u201d<\/p>\n Chiefs: The Chiefs lost their eighth straight preseason game, this one to the Buccaneers, but their rookie class and other youngsters flashed a lot of potential<\/a> for the second consecutive week. First-round rookie cornerback Mansoor Delane showed physicality at the line of scrimmage as well as high football IQ. Second-round rookie edge rusher R Mason Thomas was disruptive on critical downs for a second straight game. And second-year receiver Jalen Royals had his best pro performance, leading the Chiefs with six catches for 51 yards while showing elusiveness in the open field.<\/p>\n Chargers: Quarterback Justin Herbert played just one series in a loss to the 49ers, a three-and-out in which he completed one of two attempts. The Chargers had as many punts (eight) as first downs, and nearly as many penalties (seven). Coach Jim Harbaugh also confirmed the injury suffered earlier by center Tyler Biadasz was to his ACL; Biadasz was later placed on the season-ending injured list.<\/p>\n Raiders: No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza started in the Raiders\u2019 22-20 win<\/a> over the Texans. His first drive ended in a pick six, and his numbers were lackluster: He finished 8-for-15 for 86 yards, no touchdowns and the interception. He was also sacked once and pressured six times, according to the NFL\u2019s Next Gen Stats, giving him a passer rating of 42.6. But Mendoza\u2019s stat line could have looked a lot better if not for two incompletions to fellow rookie Malik Benson. Of more urgency: Running back Ashton Jeanty left practice<\/a> with an apparent ankle injury on Sunday afternoon, though it isn\u2019t expected to be a long-term issue.<\/p>\n NFC East<\/p>\n Cowboys: QB Joe Milton was the star of the night. The backup competition between Milton and Sam Howell saw Howell start last week and play the entire first half before Milton played the entire second half. In a dominant win over Arizona<\/a> on Saturday, those roles were reversed. Milton was outstanding, looking confident and calm in the pocket. His deep ball up the left sideline to Jonathan Mingo was perfect,\u00a0resulting in a 53-yard touchdown. And he never came close to turning the ball over. Milton finished 9 of 13 passing for 179 yards, two touchdowns and a 151.4 passer rating, and added a short TD run.<\/p>\n Top Plays from Cowboys @ Cardinals<\/p>\n Giants: Two well-known skill position players didn\u2019t help their cause<\/a> in a dominant win over the Dolphins. Wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. let a prime opportunity slip through his fingers Saturday when he failed to haul in a potential touchdown pass from quarterback Jameis Winston in the end zone. Beckham finished with two catches for 17 yards. Running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. committed a sloppy, drive-killing fumble, a week after a missed block in the preseason opener<\/a> led to a crushing hit on Jaxson Dart and left coach John Harbaugh disgusted.<\/p>\n Eagles: You don\u2019t often see the No. 2 quarterback on the field late in the fourth quarter of an Eagles preseason game, but it\u2019s worth remembering Tanner McKee is not the No. 2 quarterback at the moment. The question is whether he\u2019ll be the No. 2 by next Sunday when the roster is cut to 53. McKee made his case<\/a> in a loss to the Patriots. Andy Dalton started, while McKee replaced Dalton in the second quarter and played into the fourth quarter, finishing 16-for-22 for 173 yards and two touchdowns. McKee was helped by yards after the catch, and there were drives he likely wishes he had sustained, but he also played in rhythm, found answers against pressure and outplayed Dalton.<\/p>\n Commanders: Jayden Daniels took his first game reps in 256 days, but his stint in a loss to the Lions<\/a> lasted only three snaps: an incompletion, a sack and a handoff on 3rd-and-20. Coach Dan Quinn said it was always the plan to give Daniels one drive, no matter how long it lasted, but that series seemed to reinforce that Washington needs help on the O-line. Starting left tackle Laremy Tunsil is out with a torn triceps, and starting center Nick Allegretti has been dealing with a calf injury for most of training camp.<\/p>\n NFC North<\/p>\n Bears: Coach Ben Johnson decided to play most of his starters on both sides for the first series of a loss to the Bengals<\/a>. Quarterback Caleb Williams had an 18-yard pass to wide receiver Rome Odunze while on the run, and another 10-yard play to tight end Colston Loveland, but he failed to connect with Loveland on second down when there was an opening down the seam. The starting offense settled for a field goal. The starting defense allowed a 14-play, 67-yard field goal drive to Bengals backups, allowing a 3-for-4 rate on third down.<\/p>\n Lions: Two defensive rookies left an impression in Detroit\u2019s 17-13 win over the Commanders. Edge rusher Derrick Moore, who the Lions selected after trading up in the second round, was credited with two pressures, a sack and a forced fumble. And defensive tackle Skyler Gill-Howard, who Detroit drafted in the sixth round, might have been the best player<\/a> on the field, blowing up double teams and recording constant pressure in the interior.<\/p>\n Packers: Friday\u2019s win over the Broncos<\/a> showed why the Packers have kept their faith in running back MarShawn Lloyd despite his playing only one game in two years. His shiftiness, speed and explosiveness are unlike anything the Packers have in their running back room. He flashed his entire repertoire on Friday, leaving an outside linebacker in his dust on an option route for a touchdown, fighting through contact for extra yards on a third-and-2 outside run for a first down and showcasing his lateral speed to reach the edge for 7 yards and another first down. It was especially notable with starter Josh Jacobs potentially facing a suspension\u00a0<\/a>over an alleged incident of domestic abuse.<\/p>\n Top Plays from Packers @ Broncos<\/p>\n Vikings: Coach Kevin O\u2019Connell said he prepared for J.J. McCarthy to play more than four drives against the Ravens on Saturday, a game the Vikings lost 13-3<\/a>. But a gnarly hit late in the first quarter was McCarthy\u2019s final play, although the former starter said after the game only that he was \u201cbanged up.\u201d His stat line of 5-for-10 passing for 81 yards requires the context of six quarterback pressures, according to Next Gen Stats. Still, McCarthy\u2019s showing \u2014 especially juxtaposed with Carson Wentz\u2019s professional-looking operation (9-of-11 passing for 92 yards) \u2014 makes the backup quarterback question a fair one.<\/p>\n NFC South<\/p>\n Falcons: Jack Strand is not going to make the quarterback decision easy. The undrafted free-agent rookie looked to be falling out of the race for the No. 3 spot over the last week, but his performance<\/a> Saturday in a\u00a034-6 win over the Colts put him right back into the conversation. The Division II product out of Minnesota State Moorhead entered the game late in the second quarter and completed eight of his first nine passes. Strand finished the day 12-of-17 for 212 yards with a touchdown through the air and had 22 yards and a 16-yard score on the ground. Veteran Cooper Rush started the game and finished 10-of-11 for 86 yards.<\/p>\n Panthers: A week after coming up empty in Buffalo, Bryce Young and the Panthers\u2019 first-team offense had a better showing in a 34-17 win over the Jaguars<\/a>. Young had a 5-for-6 passing night, with a touchdown drive on his second and final possession. Young completed all four of his passes on that seven-play, 58-yard scoring drive, including two to Tetairoa McMillan. Wide receiver Jimmy Horn, fighting for a roster spot, got touches in the pass, run and return games, gaining 39 yards on an end-around for Carolina\u2019s longest play from scrimmage.<\/p>\n Saints:\u00a0New Orleans is still looking for its backup quarterback after Zach Wilson and Spencer Rattler both failed to generate any points in a blowout loss to the Rams. Wilson, who started, completed 6 of 12 passes for 55 yards and an interception. Rattler played the second half and had a more impressive line \u2014 he was 14-for-23 for 141 yards \u2014 but he threw an interception that the Rams returned 100 yards for a touchdown. First-string QB Tyler Shough didn\u2019t play. Late Sunday night, the Saints acquired running back Zamir White<\/a> from the 49ers in exchange for LB Deion Jones.<\/p>\n Buccaneers: Most starters played sparingly in a win over the Chiefs, including quarterback Baker Mayfield, who played two series in his first preseason appearance since 2024. He completed 2 of 4 passes for 10 yards. Mayfield has a 27-24 record as the Bucs\u2019 QB and led them to the playoffs twice in three years, but he is entering a contract year and has said<\/a> he felt \u201cdisrespected\u201d and \u201cundervalued\u201d during contract talks.<\/p>\n NFC West<\/p>\n Cardinals:\u00a0While most starters rested, backup QB Gardner Minshew mostly fared well, completing 19 of 23 passes for 177 yards. But the Cardinals committed eight penalties, two of which took touchdowns off the board. It was, first-year coach Mike LaFleur told reporters, the culmination of \u201ca sloppy week of practice.\u201d<\/p>\n Rams: Stetson Bennett played loose and confident in a blowout win over the Saints<\/a>, finishing 19-of-31 for 181 yards with no turnovers and a quarterback rating of 77.5. The passing numbers were more safe than prolific, but this was the statement Bennett needed to make in a backup QB race that had felt like it was shifting before this game. Ty Simpson, the No. 13 pick in April\u2019s draft, had the big performance in last week\u2019s preseason game<\/a>. Then the Rams began splitting the No. 2 reps in practice, with Bennett losing the efficiency and touch on the deep ball he had previously shown. Both areas looked improved against the Saints.<\/p>\n 49ers: Jacob Cowing might be the team\u2019s fastest player, and he showed it on an 83-yard punt return for a touchdown that triggered an eruption of joy from the 49ers\u2019 sideline in a win over the Chargers<\/a>. QB Brock Purdy, receiver Deebo Samuel and a chunk of the offensive starters played one series, and five rookies were featured in starting roles: receiver De\u2019Zhaun Stribling, running back Kaelon Black, guard Carver Willis, defensive end Romello Height and linebacker Jaden Dugger. Stribling finished with four catches for 46 yards on the first two series before being removed. The 49ers got more good news on Sunday when they activated tight end George Kittle<\/a> from the physically unable to perform list, increasing his chances of playing in Week 1. Running back Christian McCaffrey, who had missed time with \u201ctightness,\u201d was also in uniform on Sunday.<\/p>\n Seahawks: Seattle\u2019s backup offensive unit raced to a two-touchdown lead over the Titans, with Drew Lock finding second-year tight end Elijah Arroyo for a 36-yard touchdown pass and second-year back Jacardia Wright breaking a 69-yard touchdown run. Lock played well, completing 12 of 14 passes for 103 yards. But just days after they lost receiver Jake Bobo to a season-ending knee injury, the Seahawks saw rookie safety Bud Clark get carted off with a broken ankle that will sideline him for multiple months.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"All 32 NFL teams were in action over the weekend, and while joint practices may have lessened the…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":328362,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[2673,2681,9,11,430,10,22],"class_list":["post-328361","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-new-york","tag-cleveland-browns","tag-minnesota-vikings","tag-new-york","tag-new-york-headlines","tag-new-york-jets","tag-new-york-news","tag-nfl"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/328361","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=328361"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/328361\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/328362"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=328361"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=328361"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=328361"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}