I always like to start at the bottom and work towards my favourite game, but splitting those residing at the bottom of this pack of 6 is tough. In all honesty, Friday's games were far better than those played on Thursday. There were a couple of low scoring teams (the Vikings, Jets and Dolphins, for example) but on the whole, those teams played well with their starters in the line-up and fell to teams that were either better, or more desperate to make a statement.
One observation so far, is the surprising amount of first string QBs coming into the game on the first series, and leaving after tossing an interception. This KEEPS happening, but I guess when you have a finely tuned machine, even the smallest flaw is magnified. You know what I mean: we've all had a car, or known someone who has a car that is SO OLD it has no right to work, but will keep going through sleet and snow, and then there's the guy whose Ferrari will stall in a light breeze. That's my excuse for Matthew Stafford, Tim Tebow, Peyton Manning, newly appointed starter Brandon Weedon and Aaron Rodgers.
The Jets lost to the Bengals by a scoreline of 17-6. Sanchez completed 4/6 for 0/0 and 26 yards. Solid, if unremarkable. His main competition for the job - the only 1st and a half string QB in the league - Tim Tebow completed just 50% of his passes (depressingly consistent) and threw a pick. Andy Dalton for the Bengals looked proficient and they should take heart from this win. Beating the Jets in the regular season is an equally useless litmus test given their Jekyll and Hyde performances, but they are always a quality roster, and in the preseason that's what's being assessed. Well done to the Bengals, they are a team that needed to keep the ball rolling with wins, and one of the few for whom the preseason is important.
When the Browns play the Lions, I get a warm, nostalgic feeling in my belly. I'm a Cardinals fan, as has been well documented, but I absolutely love the Browns. When they came back from the dead I danced in the street. When Derek Anderson made them competitive for one season I sang their praises from the rooftops. When Mitchell & Ness released the retro snapback boasting the coolest NFL Mascot of all time (that cute little elf thing), I ran to the shops to buy it, only to realise upon looking in the mirror that I'm way too white to pull it off (it's still on my eBay watch list on the off chance I become significantly street in the near future. There is a history about the Browns that I adore, and the Lions - one of the classic thanksgiving teams - are similarly steeped in legend.
And what followed Friday night, was a decent match-up between two teams who will have to fight tooth and nail to make the playoffs this year. the Lions went last year and, of the two, are favourites to repeat the feat, but the Browns have been getting closer, if not in record, then in style of play. The drafting of Trent Richardson 9who did not suit up for this game) and the experienced Brandon Weedon resulted in an enjoyable game.
Both Browns back-ups - Seneca Wallace and Colt McCoy - won this game for Cleveland. Wallace, a one-time Seattle second string and perennially versatile play-maker, threw for over 100 yards with a +50% completion percentage and a Touchdown. He is fighting hard to relegate the previously anointed starter, Colt McCoy, down the depth chart. McCoy, however, fared very well, going 6/8 for 88 yards. Impressive. Look for McCoy to return and have success if Weedon struggles early.
Oh, the Browns won 19-17. Good on them.
The Vikings played the 49ers in what was very nearly a best v worst contest from last year. Despite the gulf in talent and success, the Vikings did functional under Ponder, who avoided throwing an interception and spearheaded two field goal drives, culminating in Minnesota's only points.
The story of this game for me was the incredibly poised, professional and clinical performance by Alex Smith of the 49ers. 3 attempts, 3 completions. 16 yards passing and one touchdown as the architect of an 8 play, 8 minute drive. Brilliant.
Despite overseeing a 20-7 loss to the Buccaneers, there was only story to come out of Tampa Bay's clash with the Miami Dolphins, and that was the Florida outfit's new Quarterback, Ryan Tannehill.
Having made off-season headlines with his meteoric draft rise and the sudden pouring over his hot wife, Tannehill is the story of the WEEK! His performance was polished and he looks to be the man to lead the Dolphins into a new era...but wait, it's the preseason and this was said of Colt McCoy last year, so let's hold off a bit.
But wouldn't it be great if he IS the real deal? I think any Dolphins fan would be pleased with his 14/21, 167 yards and 1 touchdown against no picks? Awesome.
Kansas hosted Arizona on Friday, and spectators witnessed two battles on the field, one with a far more clean-cut conclusion. While the Chiefs (impressively) set about beating the Cardinals behind the strong running of Peyton Hillis and Cyrus Gray, Kevin Kolb and John Skelton duked it out under centre for the Cardinals starting job. Skelton completed 3 times as many passes as Kolb (3), but also threw a pick in just 6 attempts. Kolb's 1/5 is rubbish, but at least...at least he...god, this is lame...at least he protected the ball.
It wound-up 27-17 to the Chiefs. Starting QB Matt Cassel was very solid with 5/6, 67 yards and a TD. These Chiefs look handy under Romeo Crennel (remember, they were the only team to beat the Packers in the regular season last year, and they did it when perfection was in sight). I reckon they will challenge for their division. Youthful, talented...beware the Kansas City Chiefs.
In the highest-scoring game so far, the Jacksonville Jaguars came back from a momentous deficit to beat the World Champion New York giants by one point (32-31).
No interceptions were thrown in the game, with Gabbert and Henne throwing TDs for the Jaguars. Manning played sparingly and made no mistakes as usual.
Olympic themed addenda: Aaron Ross, husband of super star track athlete, Sanya Richards Ross, recorded two tackles. one for each of his wife's Gold medals at London 2012.
What a couple.
No comments:
Post a Comment